A Letter from the President

Dear TEA Members,

As these are worrying and difficult times for many around the world, I wanted to take a reflective moment to comment on my perspective as TEA International Board President.

No matter your political position, there can be no doubt that the economic battles currently playing out on the global stage are likely to have long and far-reaching consequences. Only time will tell just how drastic those consequences may be. In the meantime, the uncertainty we all face has immediate impacts on our financial and psychological well-being.

TEA has been and will continue to be transparent as to the financial challenges we’ve faced since the pandemic. The headwinds created by the current economic climate are going to put further strain on our mission, our activities, and our finances. Far more concerning than the economic impacts, the dark rhetoric being pushed around the globe threatens to harm our members individually and our community as a whole – a threat we do not take lightly. 

Those who were present at the Thea Awards heard me say: ‘I’m proud that this community continues to work hard to ensure more voices, not fewer, be heard. We are committed to fostering an industry where talent has no barriers, where innovation is fueled by collaboration, and where EVERYONE has a place at the table.’ 

Whilst we work collectively to navigate these ever-changing economic and social challenges, my appeal to all our members is that we make our table a place of caring community, constructive communication, and mutual respect for all, for our colleagues, for TEA’s staff, our boards and our volunteers. Our political persuasions and personal opinions may differ, but our unifying constant is our passion for and belief in our work, our industry and this association. I urge all of our members not to let divisive rhetoric from any quarter pull apart the strong bonds we all share as friends, colleagues, and like-minded creators of joyful, educational, and emotional experiences. We shine brightest when we shine together, providing an example of the world we wish to see. 

I’ll close here by asking for your patience, understanding, and support as we work to strengthen the position of our association for the benefit of all. 

Your creative and constructive ideas for programming that continue to strengthen our organization and our ability to respond to the current global challenges are always welcomed. We won’t be able to action every idea, but that does not mean we don’t value your input, that input helps us to shape the organization as we move forward.

We are here to support you, and we thank you for your continued support of each other and the TEA.